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The following health and wellness resources are available to those impacted by Hurricane Michael.

Behavioral Health:

United Behavioral Health/Optum: 1-866-342-6892 (toll-free) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 
An emotional support hotline is available, free of charge, regardless of behavioral health plan membership. It provides access to specially-trained mental health specialists.

Prescription Drugs:

Accredo and Express Scripts: 1-800-842-0070 (toll-free) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, express-scripts.com
If you are affected by the hurricane and need your medicine, we can help. If you need an emergency fill, login to express-scripts.com and go to Find a Pharmacy to locate a nearby network pharmacy. Then, call the pharmacy to check if it is open. If your ID card is unavailable, call the number above for assistance, and to locate a nearby network pharmacy. Deliveries might be delayed into affected areas.

Vision:

EyeMed: 1-866-652-0018 (toll-free) Mon-Sat 7:30 a.m.-11 p.m. ET; Sun 8 a.m.-8 p.m. ET 
If you’ve lost, broken or damaged your eyewear, emergency (temporary) replacement glasses can be sent to you, at no cost, with overnight shipping (must call by 2:30 p.m. ET for same-day processing). Or, if you prefer to order permanent replacement glasses or contacts, expedited shipping is available.

Medical care and more:

Teladoc: 1-855-764-1727 (toll-free) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or for more information visit teladoc.com/michael/
Telemedicine services are available to any resident of an evacuation zone, regardless of health plan membership. Individuals can request a call from a doctor, free of charge, to handle non-emergency medical problems via specific contact information above.
Railroad HEALTHLINK: 1-866-735-5685 (toll-free) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 
Free telephone access to registered nurses is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week regardless of health plan membership.
Aetna: 1-833-327-2386 (toll-free) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 
Help finding care, behavioral health support, and assistance with finding available shelters and government resources, and other services are available through Aetna’s Resources for Living, regardless of health plan membership to people in affected areas.
Highmark/Blue Cross Blue Shield: 1-866-267-3320 (toll free) Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-8 p.m. ET 
For those who reside in areas where States of Emergency have been declared, waivers have been put in place for Medical Authorization Requirements, Claims Timely Filing, and Paying Out-of-Network Claims as In-Network.
UnitedHealthcare: 1-866-735-5685 (toll-free) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 
Free telephone access to registered nurses is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week regardless of health plan membership. Help finding health care services is available through the toll-free phone number, and in-network rates will be available even if members are not able to see an in-network provider.
HealthAdvocate: 1-866-799-2690 (toll-free) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 
Experts are available to help: locate in-network providers in a new area, find facilities that will be able to provide temporary assistance, transfer medical records and prescriptions, get a short supply of medications if prescriptions have been lost, coordinate care between insurance company and medical providers, answer benefit and treatment questions and help with elderly parents.

Dental:

Aetna Dental: 1-877-238-6200 (toll-free) Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET 
Members affected by the hurricane who need care or other assistance can access Aetna.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced that the standard monthly Part B premium will be $135.50 in 2019, a slight increase from $134.00 in 2018. However, some Medicare beneficiaries will pay slightly less than this amount. By law, Part B premiums for current enrollees cannot increase by more than the amount of the cost-of-living adjustment for social security (railroad retirement tier I) benefits.

Since that adjustment is 2.8 percent in 2019, about 2 million Medicare beneficiaries will see an increase in their Part B premiums but still pay less than $135.50. The standard premium amount will also apply to new enrollees in the program, and certain beneficiaries will continue to pay higher premiums based on their modified adjusted gross income.

The monthly premiums that include income-related adjustments for 2019 will range from $189.60 up to $460.50, depending on the extent to which an individual beneficiary’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds $85,000 (or $170,000 for a married couple). The highest rate applies to beneficiaries whose incomes exceed $500,000 (or $750,000 for a married couple). The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimates that about 5 percent of Medicare beneficiaries pay the larger income-adjusted premiums.

Beneficiaries in Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage plans pay premiums that vary from plan to plan. Part D beneficiaries whose modified adjusted gross income exceeds the same income thresholds that apply to Part B premiums also pay a monthly adjustment amount. In 2019, the adjustment amount ranges from $12.40 to $77.40.

The Railroad Retirement Board withholds Part B premiums from benefit payments it processes. The agency can also withhold Part C and D premiums from benefit payments if an individual submits a request to his or her Part C or D insurance plan.

The following tables show the income-related Part B premium adjustments for 2019. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is responsible for all income-related monthly adjustment amount determinations. To make the determinations, SSA uses the most recent tax return information available from the Internal Revenue Service. For 2019, that will usually be the beneficiary’s 2017 tax return information. If that information is not available, SSA will use information from the 2016 tax return.

Those railroad retirement and social security Medicare beneficiaries affected by the 2019 Part B and D income-related premiums will receive a notice from SSA by the end of the year. The notice will include an explanation of the circumstances where a beneficiary may request a new determination. Persons who have questions or would like to request a new determination should contact SSA after receiving their notice.

Additional information about Medicare coverage, including specific benefits and deductibles, can be found at www.medicare.gov.

2019 PART B PREMIUMS 

Beneficiaries who file an individual tax return with income:

Beneficiaries who file a joint tax return with income:

Income-related monthly adjustment amount

Total monthly Part B premium amount

 

Less than or equal to $85,000 

Less than or equal to $170,000

$0.00

$135.50

Greater than $85,000 and less than or equal to $107,000 

Greater than $170,000 and less than or equal to $214,000

$54.10

$189.60

Greater than $107,000 and less than or equal to $133,500 

Greater than $214,000 and less than or equal to $267,000

$135.40

$270.90

Greater than $133,500 and less than or equal to $160,000

Greater than $267,000 and less than or equal to $320,000

$216.70

$352.20

Greater than $160,000 and less than $500,000

Greater than $320,000 and less than $750,000

$297.90

$433.40

$500,000 and above

$750,000 and above

$325.00

$460.50

 

The monthly premium rates paid by beneficiaries who are married, but file a separate return from their spouses and who lived with their spouses at some time during the taxable year, are different.  Those rates are as follows:

 

Beneficiaries who are married, but file a separate tax return, with income:

Income-related monthly adjustment amount

Total monthly Part B premium amount

Less than or equal to $85,000

$0.00

$135.50

Greater than $85,000 and less than $415,000

$297.90

$433.40

$415,000 and above

$325.00

$460.50

 

As mandated by its drug and alcohol regulation, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will increase the minimum rate of random drug testing from 25 percent to 50 percent of covered employees for employers subject to FTA’s drug and alcohol regulation, effective January 1, 2019. This change is due to an increase in the industry’s ‘‘positive rate’’ as reflected in random drug test data for calendar year 2017.
The required minimum rate for random alcohol testing is unaffected by this change and will remain at 10 percent for 2019.
Click here to read FTA’s letter about this increase.


Net Earnings: Increased 34 percent to $1.4 billion
Revenue: Increased 16 percent to $6.1 billion
Operating Income: Increased 9 percent to $2.1 billion
Operating Expenses: Increased 20 percent to $4.0 billion
Operating Ratio: Increased 2.1 points to 64.5 percent
Click here to read BNSF’s full earnings report.
 

Net Earnings: Increased 18 percent to C$1,134 million
Earnings Per Share: Diluted earnings per share increased 21 percent to C$1.54
Revenue: Increased 14 percent to a record C$3,688 million
Operating Income: Increased 8 percent to C$1,492 million
Operating Expenses: Increased 19 percent to C$2,196
Operating Ratio: Increased 2.3 points to 59.5 percent
Click here to read CN’s full earnings report.
 

Net Earnings: Increased 22 percent to C$622 million
Earnings Per Share: Diluted earnings per share increased 24 percent to a record C$4.35
Revenue: Increased 19 percent to a record C$1.9 billion
Operating Income: Increased 27 percent to C$790 million
Operating Expenses: Increased 14 percent to C$1,108 million
Operating Ratio: Decreased 270 points to a record low of 58.3 percent
Click here to read CP’s full earnings report.
 

Net Earnings: Increased 106 percent to $894 million
Earnings Per Share: Increased to $1.05 per share from $0.51 per share
Revenue: Increased 14 percent to $3.13 billion
Operating Income: Increased 49 percent to $1.29 billion
Operating Expenses: Declined 2 percent to $1,84 billion
Operating Ratio: Improved 970 basis points to a record 58.7 percent
Click here to read CSX’s full earnings report.
 

Net Earnings: Increased to $174 million from $129 million
Earnings Per Share: Diluted earnings per share increased 38 percent to $1.70
Revenue: Increased 6 percent to a record $699 million
Operating Income: Increased 14 percent to $265 million
Operating Expenses: Increased to $433.6 million from $422.8 million
Operating Ratio: Improved 2.4 basis points to 62 percent
Click here to read KCS’s full earnings report.
 

Net Earnings: Increased 39 percent to $702 million
Earnings Per Share: Diluted earnings per share increased 44 percent to a third quarter record of $2.52
Revenue: Increased 10 percent to $2.9 billion
Operating Income: Increased 14 percent to a third quarter record of $1.0 billion
Operating Expenses: Increased 9 percent to $1.9 billion
Operating Ratio: Declined 1.1 basis points to a record 65.4 percent
Click here to read NS’s full earnings report.
 

Net Earnings: Increased from $1.2 billion to $1.6 billion
Earnings Per Share: Increased 43 percent from $1.50 to a record $2.15 per diluted share
Revenue: Increased 10 percent to $5.9 billion
Operating Income: Increased 9 percent to $2.3 billion
Operating Expenses: Increased 10 percent from $3.3 billion to $3.7 billion
Operating Ratio: Stayed flat at 61.7 percent
Click here to read UP’s full earnings report.
 
Financial results of the largest shortline:
 

Net Earnings: Increased to $69.6 million from $50.2 million
Earnings Per Share: Increased 45 percent to $1.16
Revenue: Increased 11.5 percent to $355.7 million from $318.9 million
Operating Income: Increased 24.7 percent to $102.5 million, up from $82.2 million
Operating Expenses: Increased to $253,225 from $236,724
Operating Ratio: Improved 3 points to 71.2 percent from 74.2 percent
Click here to read G&W’s full earnings report.
 

Notes: 

  • Operating ratio is a railroad’s operating expenses expressed as a percentage of operating revenue, and is considered by economists to be the basic measure of carrier profitability. The lower the operating ratio, the more efficient the railroad.
  • All comparisons are made to 2017’s third quarter financial results for each railroad.
  • Figures for G&W are for North American operations only with the exception of Net Earnings & Earnings Per Share, which includes all G&W operations, as solely North American figures were unavailable in these categories.

Most railroad retirement annuities, like social security benefits, will increase in January 2019 due to a rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the third quarter of 2017 to the corresponding period of the current year.
Cost-of-living increases are calculated in both the tier I and tier II benefits included in a railroad retirement annuity. Tier I benefits, like social security benefits, will increase by 2.8 percent, which is the percentage of the CPI rise. Tier II benefits will go up by 0.9 percent, which is 32.5 percent of the CPI increase. Vested dual benefit payments and supplemental annuities also paid by the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) are not adjusted for the CPI change.
In January 2019, the average regular railroad retirement employee annuity will increase $60 a month to $2,808 and the average of combined benefits for an employee and spouse will increase $86 a month to $4,078. For those aged widow(er)s eligible for an increase, the average annuity will increase $34 a month to $1,398. However, widow(er)s whose annuities are being paid under the Railroad Retirement and Survivors’ Improvement Act of 2001 will not receive annual cost-of-living adjustments until their annuity amount is exceeded by the amount that would have been paid under prior law, counting all interim cost-of-living increases otherwise payable. Some 52 percent of the widow(er)s on the RRB’s rolls are being paid under the 2001 law.
If a railroad retirement or survivor annuitant also receives a social security or other government benefit, such as a public service pension, the increased tier I benefit is reduced by the increased government benefit. Tier II cost-of-living increases are not reduced by increases in other government benefits. If a widow(er) whose annuity is being paid under the 2001 law is also entitled to an increased government benefit, her or his railroad retirement survivor annuity may decrease.
However, the total amount of the combined railroad retirement widow(er)’s annuity and other government benefits will not be less than the total payable before the cost-of-living increase and any increase in Medicare premium deductions.
The cost-of-living increase follows a tier 1 increase of 2.0 percent in January 2018, which had been the largest in 6 years. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced the Medicare Part B premiums for 2019, and this information is available at www.medicare.gov.
In late December the RRB will mail notices to all annuitants providing a breakdown of the annuity rates payable to them in January 2019.

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 67 million Americans will increase 2.8 percent in 2019, announced the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 62 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2019. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 31, 2018. (Note: some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits). The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $132,900 from $128,400.
Social Security and SSI beneficiaries are normally notified by mail in early December about their new benefit amount. This year, for the first time, most people who receive Social Security payments will be able to view their COLA notice online through their mySocial Security account. People may create or access their my Social Security account online at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
Information about Medicare changes for 2019, when announced, will be available at www.medicare.gov. For Social Security beneficiaries receiving Medicare, Social Security will not be able to compute their new benefit amount until after the Medicare premium amounts for 2019 are announced. Final 2019 benefit amounts will be communicated to beneficiaries in December through the mailed COLA notice and my Social SecurityMessage Center.
The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. To read more, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/cola.
Click here for a fact sheet showing the effect of the various automatic adjustments.

Two members, Jason Vincent Martinez, 40, and Benjamin ‘Benji’ George Brozovich, 39, died Thursday, Oct. 4 when the Union Pacific (UP) train they were operating hit the rear-end of a stopped train near Cheyenne, Wyo. SMART TD would like to express our condolences to the members’ families, friends, Local 446 and all who knew them.

Martinez, an engineer, had been a member since November of 2006 and was a lifetime member of VFW Post 1881. In his free time, he enjoyed playing pool and softball, going to Las Vegas and gambling, and was a Denver Broncos fan.
Martinez is survived by his wife Sheila; children, Izabella Teniente, Aubriana and Alexis Martinez; parents, Vincent and Rose Martinez; sisters, Bernadette (David) Herrera, Jessica (Anthony Pena) Martinez and Sasha (Manuel Fonseca) Martinez; his parents-in-law, Arlene and Carlos Trujillo; numerous godchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Prisciliano and Ursulita Barela, and Jose V. and Florence Martinez.
A visitation will be held Saturday, Oct. 13 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Wiederspahn-Radomsky Chapel, 1900 E. 19th St. Cheyenne, WY 82001. A Vigil for the Deceased will be held Monday, Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 100 W. 21st St., Cheyenne, WY 82001. A funeral liturgy will be held Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral, burial and military honors will follow.
Click here to leave condolences for the family and to read Martinez’s full obituary.

Brozovich, a conductor, had been a member since June of 2015 and had been employed by UP for 20 years. He loved motorcycles and the Denver Broncos. In his free time, he enjoyed motocross racing and golf.
He is survived by his parents, Art Brozovich and Madeleine (Jack) Jacobs; brother, Tyler Brozovich; daughter, Sierra Brozovich; maternal grandmother, Wilma Kalamaja; and many aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Martin and Katherine Brozovich; maternal grandfather, Karl Kalamaja; and brothers, Jordan and Jason.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 15 at the Niobrara County Fairgrounds Auditorium, 4080 U.S. Hwy 20, Lusk, WY 82225. Father Andrew Duncan of St. Leo Catholic Church will be officiating.
Click here to leave condolences for the family and to read Brozovich’s full obituary.

When a natural disaster, extreme weather or other emergency occurs that affects providers and the Medicare beneficiaries that they serve, special emergency-related policies and procedures may be implemented.
The process begins when a governor of an affected state requests assistance. This is done if the event is beyond the combined response abilities of the state and local governments. From this request, the President of the United States can declare a Public Health Emergency (PHE), using the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.
Under Section 1135 or 1812(f) of the Social Security Act, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can issue ‘blanket waivers’ for providers and suppliers when it comes to services that are provided by skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies and critical access hospitals. Measures are in place to assist with durable medical equipment and supplies, as well as quality reporting, extending the appeals time limit, and getting replacement prescription refills.
As an example in an impacted area, when a waiver is granted for submitting appeal requests (which normally would need to be filed 120 days from the date of the claim denial notification), an appeal may be filed after the 120 days based on CMS guidance.
The following are the most recent hurricane-related PHE’s for which HHS has authorized waivers:
2018 Waivers

  • Hurricane Michael – Florida (at the time of writing this article)
  • Hurricane Florence – North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia

2017 Waivers

  • Hurricane Maria – Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Hurricane Nate – Louisiana and Mississippi
  • Hurricane Irma – Florida, Georgia and South Carolina
  • Hurricane Harvey – Texas and Louisiana

Medicare has a toll-free helpline you can use if you are in an impacted area. This Disaster Distress Helpline is available 24/7. The toll-free, multilingual and confidential crisis support service can be reached by calling 1-800-985-5990. You can also text TalkWithUs to 66746 (for Spanish, press 2 or text Hablanos to 66746) to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
More information is available to you at the following address: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2018/10/09/hhs-secretary-azar-declares-public-health-emergency-florida-due-hurricane-michael.html
Hurricanes don’t discriminate in terms of destruction, and there are times when a person only has the clothes on their back – but no wallet or Medicare card to get assistance. If you lose your Medicare card, you can call our Beneficiary Customer Service Center at 800-833-4455, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. ET to order a new one. For the hearing impaired, call TTY/TDD at 877-566-3572. You may also call the Railroad Retirement Board at 877-772-5772.
You are encouraged you to visit Palmetto GBA’s Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/MyRRMedicare, as well as their website at www.PalmettoGBA.com/RR/Me for more information.

The Bellingham Herald reports that last week the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) decided to repeal a rule that required electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) braking systems be installed on all oil trains.
The original rule was intended to increase safety and help prevent the derailment and puncturing of cars. DOT’s original analysis of ECP brakes found that they “can reduce the number of cars in a derailment that puncture and release their contents by almost 20 percent compared to other braking technologies.”
With conventional air brakes, the braking message must go through each car individually before moving on to the next car; this process can take up to two minutes for the brake application to reach the back of a freight train. ECP braking uses electronic controls that applies the brakes to all cars consistently and at the same time, providing more control and shortening the stopping distance, which leads to a lower risk of derailment or coupling breakage.
Washington state Governor Jay Inslee criticized the repeal, saying in a press release that the decision to repeal is a “reckless disregard for the life and property of all who live or work along the rail tracks.”
“I fear the day we witness a destructive or deadly derailment that could have been prevented with readily available technology,” he said.
The PHMSA cited a reduction in benefits to the rail carriers from $254 million in benefits to businesses and $215 to $358 million in savings related to safety when the first analysis of ECP braking was done, down to $131 to $198 million in total benefits, as the reason for their repeal of the rule. PHMSA said the lower estimates stem from a decrease in the amount of oil being transported by rail.
The Association of American Railroad (AAR), an organization representing rail carriers, praised the repeal, while Inslee, environmental groups and unions protest this reduction in safety.
Click here to read the full story from the Bellingham Herald.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded $205 million in supplemental funding for infrastructure grants to small airports in 34 states. More than half of these airports serve rural communities and mostly general aviation. This funding is in addition to the $3.31 billion already awarded in regular Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding during fiscal year 2018.
This $205 million in Airport Improvement Program grants directly addresses the need for improved aviation infrastructure – especially in rural communities,” said Secretary Chao.
This first increment of supplemental funding provides grants to projects at 37 airports. These projects include runway reconstruction and rehabilitation, and the maintenance of taxiways, aprons and terminals. The construction and equipment supported by this funding increases the airports’ safety, capacity and related issues. These improvements could support further potential growth and development within each airport’s region.
Congress provided the supplemental funding through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018. The FAA published a Federal Register notice July 9, 2018, which explained the statutory rules, evaluation criteria and the submission process. The remainder of the $1 billion will be awarded during fiscal years 2019 and 2020, based on requests submitted by October 31.
Under the Secretary’s leadership, the FAA is administering the supplemental program in coordination with the regular annual AIP grant program to strengthen the safety and efficiency of America’s airports. U.S. infrastructure, especially its 3,300 airports increases the country’s competitiveness and improves the traveling public’s quality of life. According to the FAA’s most recent economic analysis, U.S. civil aviation accounts for $1.6 trillion in total economic activity and supports nearly 11 million jobs.
The statute’s requirements include:

  • Requiring the FAA to give “Priority Consideration” to specific airports (smaller and more rural airports);
  • For grants awarded to non-primary airports, the funds will cover 100 percent of eligible costs (so these airports do not have to provide a local match); and
  • The FAA administering the program over fiscal years 2018 to 2020.

In the March 2018 omnibus funding bill, Congress provided historic levels of funding for infrastructure investments across America. Following the increase in funding this fiscal year, the Department will invest $10 billion in new transportation infrastructure. The Department is committed to rebalancing investment in historically-neglected rural America.
The list of grants, including the supplemental and regular AIP grant awards, is here:
https://www.faa.gov/airports/aip/aip_supplemental_appropriation/